As noted in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,998 entitled "Slatted Chain Link Fence Construction, Slats Therefor, and Method of Slat Installation," chain link fences are typically constructed from an open, wire mesh fencing fabric which is woven diagonally so that alternate links zig-zag vertically and lie in different planes. Such links form knuckles or weaves in which the wire forming such knuckles twists about the wire that forms laterally adjoining links. In this regard, laterally adjoining channels are formed vertically and diagonally along the height of a chain link fence constructed from wire mesh fencing fabric and such channels are open at their opposite (e.g., top and bottom) ends. As such fencing mesh is not closely woven, it does not conceal from view anything on either side of the chain link fence.
As further noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,998, efforts have been made to obtain a degree of privacy by inserting slats of wood, aluminum or plastic into adjoining channels of the chain link fence, either vertically or diagonally. However, because of the knuckles and the inherent twisting forces generated by chain link fences, which warps some slats, complete concealment has been difficult to achieve.
Due to the effects of gravity and wind forces, efforts have also been made to secure vertically extending slats within channels of chain link fences. Generally, slats have been locked within channels by mechanically linking adjacent slats and/or by using a horizontally extending slat to support the slats. However, utilizing such devices to secure slats within chain link fences is a labor intensive effort, which in turn, increases the time and costs associated with installing such slats.